Portable grain-elevator.



M. H. BULL.

PORTABLE GRAIN ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26,1912.

Patented July 29, 1913.

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M. H. BULL. I

PORTABLE GRAIN ELEVATOR.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 26, 1912.

1,068,978. I Patented July 29, 1913.

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PORTABLE GRAIN ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNB26,1912.

\ 1 ,068,978. Patented July 29, 1913.

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M. H. BULL.

PORTABLE GRAIN ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION IILED sum: as, 1912.

Patented July 29, 1913.

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invented new and MILFORD H. BULL, OF YORKTON, SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PORTABLE (E'HRAIN-ELEVA'JJOR.

Patented July 29, 1913.

Application filed June 26, 1912. Serial No. 706,068.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILFORD H. BULL, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, resid-. ing at Yorkton, in the Province of Saskatchewan and Dominion of Canada, have useful Improvements in Portable Grain-Elevators, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

This invention has relation to elevating machinery and particularly to the type de signed for transferring or handling grain when lifting the same from one level to another.

The invention provides an elevator of the character hereinbefore stated which is portable in nature so as to be easily moved from one place to another,thereby adapting it for general service in agricultural district-s where the raising of grain is the chief industry.

The invention is intended chiefly for unloading grain from a wagon and storing the same in a granary or bin and after the elevator has performed the work in one location it may be transported to the next place and is ready for immediate use, it not being necessary to make special preparations for adapting the machine to such new location.

The invention consists of the novel features, details of construction and combination of parts, which hereinafter will be more particularly set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claim.

Referring to the drawings, forming a part of'the specification, Figure 1 is a side view of a portable elevator embodyin the invention, the full lines showing t e elevator raised and the dotted vator lowered upon the truck when the ma: chine is in condition for transportation. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the machine. Fig. 3 is a rear view partly in section showing the conveyer lowered. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 with the conveyer folded. Fig- 5 is a section of the conveyer on the line 00:c of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a cross section of the conveyer on the line y-y of Fig. 2,

the dotted lines showing the chute in folded position.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the f llowing clescrip n, and indilines showing the ele cated in all the views of the drawings, by the same reference characters.

The mechanism forming a part of and associated with the lifting or elevating mechanism is mounted upon a truck for ease of transportation, said truck being designated by the numeral 1 and being of any construction best adapted for supporting the working parts and transporting the same over the ground in the locality for which the machine is designed. An engine 2 of any variety preferably of the internal combustion type is mounted upon the bed of the truck and forms a part of the machine and is connected in any suitable manner with the parts to be driven. A framework 3 is mounted upon the truck and is provided at its upper end with a roller 4. Standards 5 and 6 are likewise mounted upon the truck and support the elevator when the same is in lowered position, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. The elevator is generally indicated by the numeral 7 and is hingedly connected at 8 to uprights forming a part of the framework 3. When the elevator is in position for use it occupies a vertical position, as indicated by the full lines in Fig. l, and rests against the roller 4:. A cord or rope 8 passes around the roller at and has its upper end connected to the elevator 7, the lower end being attached to and adapted to wind upon a drum 9 located upon the truck, said drum having a worm gear 10 which is in mesh with a worm 11 forming a part of a shaft 12 which is conveniently positioned for actuation by the operator. By winding the rope 8 upon the drum 9 the elevator is raised into vertical position and by unwinding the rope from the drum 9 the ele vator is lowered upon the supports or stand ards 5 and 6.

The elevator 7 comprises side pieces 12, intermediate connecting pieces 13, rollers 14 and 15 located at opposite ends of the side pieces and an endless belt 16 passing around the rollers 14 and 15 and provided at intervals with flights or'buckets 17. The space formed between the side pieces 12 is closed in the front and at the rear, thereby confining the grain upon the flights or buckets and at the same time preventing injury thereto. A spout 18 is connected with the upper end of the elevator and is adapted to be moved so as to direct the grain to the required point of discharge. The spout 8 is preferably flexible and is supported. at its lower end by means of a brace 19. A boot 20 is at the lower end of the elevator to receive the grain from the conveyer and direct the same to the flights of the endless belt. The upper roller 14 has a sprocket wheel 21 se cured to an extension of one of its journals, a sprocket chain 22 connecting the sprocket wheel 21 with a sprocket wheel 23 secured to one end of a transverse shaft 24 mounted upon the elevator 7. The shaft 24 has a bevel gear 25 secured thereto which is in mesh with a bevel gear 26 secured to a shaft 27 which is arranged at a right angle to the shaft 24 and is mounted in bearings carried by the elevator 7. A belt pulley 28 secured to an end of the shaft 27 is connected by means of a drive belt 28 with a drive pulley 29 secured to the drive shaft of the engine. Through the instrumentalities just described motion is transmitted from the engine to the endless belt or carrier of the elevator 7.

A conveyer 30 of any make or design is arranged at one side of the elevator and occupies a horizontal position when in operative position, said conveyer being arranged to deliver the grain into the boot 20 of the elevator. The conveyer 30 is hingedly connected at its inner end to the elevator so as to fold into upright position to be out of the way when a loaded wagon is driven into position to be unloaded. Braces 31 and 32 connect the conveyer with the elevator. The conveyer 30 comprises side pieces 33, anintermediate connecting piece 34, and an endless.

belt 35 which is provided at intervals in its length with flights or strips. Rollers 36 and 37 are located at opposite ends of the side pieces 33 and support the endless belt 35 at its ends. The shaft or a journal of theroller 36 is extended at one end and provided with I a sprocket wheel 38 to receive a sprocket chain 39, which passes around a sprocket wheel 40 secured to the rear end of the shaft 24, thereby transmitting motion to the endless belt 35. The roller 36 is journaled in bearings 41 which are adjustable in guides 42 connected with the outer ends of the braces 31 and 32, thereby admitting of any slack being taken up in the sprocket chain 39. A folding leg or support 43 is pivotally connected to the outer end of the conveyer frame. When the conveyer is turned into vertical position the leg 43 automatically folds, but when'the conveyer is moved into horizontal position the leg 43 assumes an upright position so as to support the outer end of the conveyer. A rope 44 is connected at its lower end to the outer end of the frame of the conveyer 30 and passes over guide pulleys 45 upon the frame of the elevator? and has a weight 46 at its upper end, said weight serving as a counterbalance for the conveyer to admit of the same being folded easily. Hooks or fastenings 47 attached to the frame of the conveyer 30 are adapted to engage eyes or complementary fastening parts attached to the frame of the elevator 7 to hold the conveyer in upright position when so desired. A chute 48 is hingedly connected to the frame of the conveyer 30 and is adapted to be thrown outward to receive the grain from the wagon to be unloaded and direct suchgrain to the endless belt or carrier of the conveyer.

"When the machine is reduced to a compact form for transportation from one point to another or when it is not required for immediate use the conveyer 30 is folded close against a side of the elevator 7 and the latter is lowered into an approximately horizontal position so as to rest upon the standards or supports 5 and 6. When the machine is required for use the elevator 7 is moved so as to occupy a vertical position and the conveyer 30 is lowered into an approximately horizontal position. The wagon to be unloaded is driven so as to occupy a position in front of the conveyer to admit of discharging grain from the wagon into the conveyer, which latter in turn delivers the grain to the elevator by means of which it is lifted and discharged into the granary, bin or other place of storage. When the wagon is unloaded the next wagon to be unloaded is driven into position, the conveyer being turned into upright position to admit of the loaded wagon passing thereby to occupy a position in front of the conveyer when the same is lowered intooperative position.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claim appended hereto. I

Having thus described the invention what 18 clalmed as new, 1s z- I A portable gram elevator comprlsing a truck, standards near opposite ends of the truck, a framework mounted upon the truck intermediate of the standards and provided at its upper end witha roller, an elevator pivotally connected near one end to an end of the truck and adapted when turned into a vertical position to rest against the roller at the upper end of the framework and when In testimony whereof I aifix my signature lowered to rest upon the standards, a drum in presence of two witnesses.

mounted upon the truck, and a cord oonneet- MILFORD H. BULL. ing the drum with the upper portion of the Witnesses:

5 elevator and passing around the roller at GEORGE A. DAVIDSON, the upper end oft-he framework. FRANK W. BULL, Jr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

